Article-dispensing package



NOV. 25, 1952 M. D M 2,619,226

ARTICLE-DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed Jan. 10, 1950 I N VEN TOR.

, JOHN M. ADAMS I 20 H66 WW ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 25, 1952 ARTICLE-DISPENSING PACKAGE John M. Adams, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to John R. Gammeter, Akron, Ohio Application January 10, 1950, Serial No. 137,820

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an article-dispensing package, particularly adaptable for dispensing articles of soft, flexible nature.

In the past, folded cardboard containers have been provided for dispensing small articles of the Class described, arranged in stacks thereof, but the same have been objectionable particularly in use thereof, because usually the entire package was required to be opened up, thereby to expose all of the contents and often resulting in spilling the articles, or the articles have otherwise been difficult to remove from the package one at a time.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel package of the character described by which the articles contained therein may be removed one at a time without necessarily opening the package fully or disturbing the other articles therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple one-piece blank which is adapted to be folded into a complete package with articles contained therein, a simple initial folding operation being effective to provide a self-supporting container about the articles and the other folding operations being effective to complete the package with closure means thereof in locked condition.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings:

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a substantially full-sized perspective view, of a package embodying the features of the invention, in fully closed condition.

Figure 2 is a similar perspective view of the package in a partially opened condition, for dispensing articles therefrom.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but illustrating another step in the use of the package preparatory to removal of an article therefrom.

Figure 4 is a similar view, illustrating the act of removing an article from the package.

Figure 5 is a bottom perspective view, on a reduced scale of the package, illustrating the initial folding operation to provide a self-supporting container part about articles in a stack.

Figure 6 is a plan view, on the same scale as Figure 5, of a one-piece blank from which the improved package is formed.

Figure '7 is a View similar to Figure 2, on a reduced scale, showing a modified form of a dispensing package.

The improved package shown in Figures 1 to 6 is formed from a one-piece blank I'O, as shownin Figure 6, preferably of relatively stiff but flexible material such as cardboard. The blank is scored in known manner to define front, bottom, back and top walls, ll, [2, I3 and I4, re-

spectively, and a closure flap I5, all respectively in alignment along a longitudinal centerline of the blank, and also scored to define relatively narrow, integral side walls extensions l6 and I! from opposite side edges of said front wall, said side walls having thereon lateral extensions definin bottom flaps l8 and [9.

The narrow side walls l6 and I! are foldable upwardly, with respect to the relative positions shown in Figure 6, and the flaps l8 and I9 are foldable in inwardly overlapping relation, with the edge of the lateral side edge portion of flap 19 received in a slit 2!) from the edge of the oppositely disposed flap l8, thereby to provide a self-supporting container 22, as shown in Figure 5. This initial package-forming operation may be performed to include a stack of articles 23 within container part 22. The improved package is particularly well suited for dispensing articles of soft, flexible nature and which are somewhat resilient when in stacked relation in the package. Articles of this type are lipstick tissues, spectacle lens cleaning tissues, rubber prophylactic articles, etc. For the purpose of illustration the package of Figures 1 to 5 may be assumed as containing a number of small lipstick cleansing tissues or papers 23, of soft, flexible nature, received in the container part 22 in a firmly packed stack thereof.

With articles thus contained in container part 22 the remaining portion of the blank as described in Figure 5, may be folded about said container part with the walls [2, l3 and I4 overlying the top, the back and the bottom of the container part 22, respectively and with the flap l5 overlying the front wall H, said flap I5 having a tapered tab portion or extension 24 at the free end thereof for insertion in a laterally extending slit 25 in the front wall ll, adjacent the bottom end thereof, for locking the package in fully closed condition.

Referring particularly to Figures 2, 3, 4 and 6, improved means is provided for facilitating removal of the articles 23 from the package, one at a time, without completely unfolding the package. To this end the front wall II is punched-out to define a circular closure tab 26 hinged at the top thereof to the wall H, along a straight hinge line 26a, and a complementally shaped dispensing opening 27. The closure tab 26 is normally retained in closed position, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, by frictional engagement of the complemental edge portions. The lower edge of the tab 26 is relatively closely adjacent the slit 25 in the wall ll, whereby the portion of front wall If between opening 21 and said slit defines a narrow bridge which is yieldingly depressible, as by squeezing with the container with the fingers as shown in Figure 3, against the inherent resiliency of the articles in a ladies handbag. When it is desired to re---- move a tissue 23 from the package the closure tab 24 is pulled from the slit 25 of the front wall I I and the front closure member I5 is opened out as shown in Figure 2.

Next, the front wall part between the opening 21 and said slit 25 is depressed against the inherent resiliency of the packaged articles, thereby to release the frictionally engaged closure tab 26 and cause the same to spring open as shown in Figure 3. It is now a simple matter to open the closure tab 26 fully as illustrated in Figure 4, and grasp a cleansing tissue 23, as by a suitably exposed edge, and pull the same through i the dispensing opening (see chain-dotted lines in Figure 4) Upon removal of a cleansing tissue, the package may again be closed by first frictionally engaging the tab 26 in the dispensing opening 21, and then folding the closure fiap I5 over front wall II with the locking tab 24 thereof received in the front wall slit 25 (see Figure 1) Referring now to Figure '7, there is shown a modified form of a dispensing package, particularly suited for dispensing disc-like articles which are less capable of being withdrawn through a relatively small closure opening in the manner described above.

This form of the invention is the same in all respects as the package previously described, except that instead of the circular closure tab 26 two parallel slits extend from the upper edge of front wall Ha, at right angles thereto, to provide a closure tab 26a. Like parts, therefore, are given like numerals unless otherwise noted.

The tab 26a is normally frictionally engageable at the side edges to retain it in the closed position shown in full lines in Figure 7. When it is desired to remove an article from the package the tab 26a is pulled out as shown in chaindotted lines, to permit grasping a thereby exposed edge portion of one of several of the articles in the container, which then may be withdrawn through the top opening. As before, the outer closure flap I5 serves to hold the tab 26a in the closed position when the locking tab 24 is inserted in slit 25.

Other modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser as for relatively soft, flexible, resilient articles, comprising a container for the articles, said container having at least a front wall thereof of relatively stiff but flexible material in which is punched a tab connected to the wall at one side of the tab to provide a hinge point therefor, said tab defining a dispensing opening in said front wall and being adapted normally to close said opening by frictional engagement of the edge portions of the tab with complemental aperture edge portions in said wall, said front wall having an elongated laterally extending slit therein adjacent said free end of said tab and defining with the corresponding edge portion of said opening a narrow bridge which is yieldingly depressible to release said free end of the tab outwardly of said wall, whereby the tab is readily liftable to expose the articles for removal thereof through said opening.

2. A dispenser as for relatively soft, flexible, resilient articles, comprising a, container for the articles, said container having at least a front wall thereof of relatively stiff but flexible material in which is punched a tab connected to the wall at one side of the tab to provide a hinge point therefor, said tab defining a dispensing opening in said front wall and being adapted normally to close said opening by frictional engagement of the edge portions of the tab with complemental aperture edge portions in said wall, said front wall having an elongated laterally extending slit therein adjacent said free end of said tab and defining with the corresponding edge portion of said opening a narrow bridge which is yieldingly depressible to release said free end of the tab outwardly of said wall, whereby the tab is readily liftable to expose the articles for removal thereof through said opening, said container having a fiap hinging from an end thereof remote from said slit and foldable over said wall with a free end of the flap insertable in said slit to retain the fiap in folded position.

3. An article-dispensing package, comprising a one-piece blank of flexible sheet material scored to define front, bottom, back and top walls and a closure fiap all respectively in alignment and side wall extensions from opposite side edges of said side wall each having a laterally opposite flap extension thereon, said side walls being foldable with said flap extensions rearwardly of said front wall in overlapping relation to form a container for articles to be dispensed, said bottom and back walls and said closure flap being foldable to have the back wall overlying said folded flap extensions and said closure flap extended over the open top of the container and downwardly thereof to overlie said front wall, said front wall having a closure tab punched therein to have a hinge connection at the top portion thereof to said front wall and defining a dispensing opening in said front wall, and said closure tab being adapted normally to close the dispensing opening by the edge portions of the closure tab frictionally engaging the complemental edge portions of the wall defining the dispensing opening, said front wall having an elongated laterally extending slit therein adjacent said free end of said tab and defining with the corresponding edge portion of said opening a narrow bridge which is yieldingly depressible to release the free end of said closure tab outwardly of said front wall, whereby said tab is readily liftable to permit removal of the articles through the dispensing opening.

JOHN M. ADAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 968,286 Streit Aug. 23, 1910 1,543,865 Muchmore June 30, 1925 2,024,832 Myers Dec. 17, 1935 2,285,991 Lester June 9, 1942 2,310,219 De Ganahl Feb. 9, 1943 

